Page 1952 - Week 07 - Thursday, 13 August 2020
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the first five years. The strategy has 74 actions to increase support for housing services and supports and to make sure housing is more affordable.
There are many initiatives being delivered by the government and some excellent partnerships with the community sector that are tackling homelessness and insecure housing. Last year, for example, I announced a new partnership with CatholicCare and St Vincent de Paul to support 20 individuals with high complex needs who are sleeping rough into permanent housing.
The program, Axial Housing, takes a housing first approach and provides homes to people who are sleeping rough and provides the supports that they need so that they can stay in these homes long term. The program has been expanded, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has seen 22 chronic rough sleepers rapidly rehoused in permanent housing, with ongoing support to assist them in their new living environment.
In response to COVID, the ACT government has provided $3 million in crisis assistance to homelessness and family and domestic violence services, as well as direct funding to support providers, and additional funding to help adapt the way that they support clients in this new environment. The government’s response has also stood up to new short-term accommodation services, in partnership with CatholicCare and Argyle, for Canberrans at risk of homelessness. This support is on top of the $140 million of support—(Time expired.)
MS CHEYNE: Minister, why is Common Ground Dickson such an important development for social and affordable housing?
MS BERRY: I thank Ms Cheyne for the question. Last week I was happy to announce, with Minister Gentleman, that Common Ground Dickson will move to the next stage of development, with a DA approved for this critical social housing development. Common Ground has been an incredibly successful model adopted from New York and is now in place in cities all across Australia. It provides a mixture of social and affordable long-term, secure housing with on-site support as well as community facilities.
Common Ground Dickson is the next step forward for social and affordable housing in Canberra, providing another 40 social and affordable homes with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units. Like Gungahlin, Dickson will provide long-term housing for people who are facing chronic homelessness. The people who will live in Dickson will be different to the ones in Gungahlin, with a focus on supporting women and children, families, single parents and older women, all facing increasing needs for housing support, being financially disadvantaged throughout their lifetime.
Common Ground Gungahlin has also been an enormous success, with residents gaining long-term, secure housing. Since Common Ground Gungahlin opened in 2015, I have had the chance to get to know Greg, who is a tenant there. After experiencing homelessness Greg now is in secure housing, with a sense of community, living with the other residents at the complex. Since moving to Common Ground Greg has been pursuing his education at CIT and has recently found
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